Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2024 i MacLife

APPLE’S LATEST MACOS is packed with all kinds of features great and small, but many of them aren’t documented, are hard to remember, or are so new you might not have come across them just yet. From things that save you time, effort and maybe even money, to those that cause you to smile and let out a "Eureka!" shriek when you discover them, these are the secrets of Sonoma. Did you know, when you place widgets on your macOS Sonoma desktop, you can have them sit there in full color instead of reverting to monochrome when they’re not in use? Or that you can bring exciting effects to a video chat using hand gestures? Or that also in video chat, you can decide where to appear when using Center…

IN THESE POST–PANDEMIC days, video conferencing is increasingly used in place of face–to–face meetings. Video calls with friends and family are growing ever more popular too. Sonoma brings us a fun feature that works in almost every video chat application, including FaceTime, Zoom, Teams, Webex and more, and they can be triggered with simple hand gestures as well as through a menu. Reactions fill your screen with a three–dimensional effect, such as fireworks, thumbs up/down, and hearts. Reactions triggered with your hands take a few seconds to appear. Hold the gesture in place until the Reaction is triggered; don’t just flash it at the screen and remove it straight away. Make sure the whole hand gesture is visible on your video feed too. Here’s a guide to how to use…

PRIVACY IS IMPORTANT to Apple. In fact, the company considers it a human right. The macOS Sonoma operating system brings several privacy and security features to the Mac, all of which are designed to keep your data, browsing and personal information as private as possible. 1 Set private browsing search engine In Safari, you can set up a different search engine to use when you’re in Private Browsing mode. This way, for example, you can use the ubiquitous Google for general browsing, but the more secure and private DuckDuckGo when you’re in a Private Browsing window. In the Safari app, click on Safari in the top bar and choose the Settings option. In the window that pops up, click the Search tab in the toolbar. You'll see your chosen search…

REQUIRES Dropbox, macOS 10.13 or later YOU WILL LEARN How to sync and back up your files using Dropbox IT WILL TAKE 5 minutes THE BEAUTY OF DROPBOX LIES IN ITS SIMPLICITY… BUT THERE ARE EXTRA FEATURES IN THE PAST, sharing files with yourself and others over email was the norm. But it’s hardly an ideal method, as it’s an inefficient way to manage your files and clogs up your inbox to boot. A much better alternative is to use Dropbox, an app that helped change the way we manage our files across multiple different devices. It lets you drop files into a folder that then whisks those files away to any other device that is logged in with the same Dropbox account. In an instant you can sync files…

REQUIRES iOS/iPadOS 17 YOU WILL LEARN How to create and use Safari Profiles IT WILL TAKE 15 minutes ONE OF OUR favorite iOS/iPadOS 17 features is Safari Profiles, which enables you to have separate and different personalities when you browse the web. You might have a Work profile that you use during office hours. And then you might have a Play profile for the fun stuff such as social media and other non–work activities. Each profile exists separately from the other(s): if you’ve watched Severance on Apple TV+, it’s a bit like that but without Christopher Walken. And if like us you’re really bad for having dozens of Safari tabs open at once, it’s going to help save you stacks of time and effort. It’ll filter your Favorites, tame your…

YOU WILL LEARN How Apple’s MagSafe merged with Qi to create Qi2 wireless charging APPLE WAS A bit slow in adopting the Qi wireless charging technology, but it now looks like one of the first to get in on the act with the new Qi2 (pronounced “chee–two”). In fact, you could argue that it’s mounted something of a covert take–over of the technology, as Qi2 is essentially an updated version of Apple’s MagSafe — with the added bonus that it works with Android and other non–Apple devices too. Qi technology has actually been around since 2008, developed by an organization called the WPC — Wireless Power Consortium. It took a few years to take off, but by 2012 Qi tech was being used by Samsung and a number of other…

1 Dell UltraSharp 32 6K U3224KB > $2,399.99 > www.dell.com It may be a pricey gesture, but Dell’s 32–inch IPS display is stuffed with goodies, including a 6K (6,144 x 3,456) resolution, a USB–C hub and an integrated 4K webcam for FaceTime calls. It has a superb, flexible stand, and includes a soundbar too. 2 Master & Dynamic MW75 > $599 > www.masterdynamic.com If you find Apple’s AirPods Max a little limiting, try these over–ear headphones for size. They offer up to 32 hours of wireless listening using Bluetooth and have incredible sound quality and Active Noise Canceling (ANC) on board. 3 Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium > $279.99 > www.xencelabs.com Xencelab’s graphics tablet is a bargain, especially in Bundle guise, as shown here ($329.99). You get a versatile 12.61–inch tablet,…

From $1,599 From www.apple.com Features M3, M3 Pro or M3 Max chip (model tested: M3 Max with 16–core CPU, 40–core GPU, 1TB storage, 48GB of unified memory), 16.2–inch Liquid Retina XDR display (3,456 x 2,234), MagSafe 3, 3x Thunderbolt 4 (USB–C) ports, 1x HDMI port, Wi–Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3 WELL HERE’S A SURPRISE — just ten months after Apple updated the MacBook Pro with M2 silicon, here comes its successor. Unveiled at the company’s Scary Fast event in November, the new version marks the arrival of the latest chips in the Apple silicon family — the M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max — and a new color: Space Black. While the M2 series only saw relatively modest gains over the M1, the M3 family is a different beast entirely…

$159 From www.insta360.com Features Three–axis stabilization, AI–powered subject tracking, tripod and selfie stick modes, 12–hour battery, charge your phone on the go, built–in microphone cold shoe mount Needs iPhone 8 or later BEST KNOWN FOR high–quality action cameras, Flow is Insta360’s first mobile gimbal. Designed to work with a wide range of phones, it puts the company into competition with established players like DJI. Perhaps in recognition of that, Flow covers an awful lot of bases while being priced more or less identically to DJI’s similar models. The gimbal folds down to a very compact size and feels robust and well constructed. Folding it out, you attach your phone using a magnetic clamp, after installing the Insta360 app and pairing the two using Bluetooth and Wi–Fi, which is quick and…

$349 From www.denon.com Features 10mm drivers, supports AAC, aptX Lossless, 8 hours battery, wireless charging case DENON MOSTLY TENDS to operate in the higher regions of the hi–fi market, but it recently released two sets of relatively affordable earbuds as part of its new “PerL” range — which stands for “Personalized Listening”. The standard PerL earbuds cost $199, which pits them right against Apple’s AirPods, while the high–end PerL Pro that we review here costs $349. The two models look very similar, with large, circular earpieces that look — and feel — rather chunky compared to the more streamlined AirPods. The chunky design may not suit everyone, though. Denon does include four sets of rubber eartips in different sizes, as well as one set of memory foam eartips as well.…

Andrew Cottle Art Editor Andrew’s 2012 Macbook Pro still works perfectly and performs heroically for work, but the new 16.2–inch model reviewed on p62 is tempting! Rachel Terzian Production Editor Of course specs are the top priority but… Rachel also gets very excited about any new device colors, and Space Black is very nice indeed. Rob Mead–Green Contributor Rob is all set to have a very merry techmas this month thanks to his home being filled with every possible gadget for every possible need (p48).…

WE’RE NOW FIVE years into the era of folding phones, and Apple clearly hasn’t felt much pressure to follow Samsung’s lead down this particular path. Even by Apple standards, five years is quite a while for some new, next–step technology to be adopted before Apple also features it. For most of those five years, it hasn’t bothered me that Apple hasn’t launched its own version — the potential usefulness of a mid–size phone that becomes a small tablet is obvious, but the actual utility has not been so clear, especially when the hardware has had problems with durability and general inelegance. IF I HAD TO GUESS, THE BIGGEST ISSUE TO APPLE INTRODUCING A FOLDING DEVICE IS A CREASE But things have matured a lot. There’s now a whole suite of…

MACOS SONOMA TAKES a new look at screen savers. The old ones are still there, but they’re joined by some awesome slow–motion video screen savers featuring areas of great beauty from all over the world. Each of these screen savers has a companion wallpaper too, so you can have a slow–motion view of a beautiful scene while you’re not using your Mac, which steadies into a static desktop when you return. They’re easy to use too. 1 Screen saver settings First, click the Apple menu in the top–left corner of your screen and select System Settings. In the window that opens, click Screen Saver in the left–hand sidebar. The Screen Saver settings are now shown. 2 Screen saver categories As you can see, you’re offered new screen savers in four…

SAFARI HAS LONG been the browser of choice for Apple users, and Sonoma gives it some great new features. You might be using some of them already, but if you want to delve deeper, take a look at some of these amazing capabilities. 1 Safari profiles With Profiles, you can compartmentalize your browsing, with separate bookmarks, browsing histories, cookies and extensions for work, home, a hobby club, and so on. If you use a specific site for two different reasons (home and work, perhaps) with two different log–ons, you can even sign in to them separately and switch between them instantly. In Safari, use the Safari top–bar menu to open the app’s Settings. Click the Profiles tab and add and remove profiles with the "+" and "–" icons (bottom left).…

REQUIRES iOS 17 or later YOU WILL LEARN How to make your iPhone display at–a–glance info when it’s charging IT WILL TAKE 15 minutes ONE OF THE most eye–catching features of iOS 17 is the new StandBy display. When your iPhone screen is locked, turned into the horizontal position and charging, StandBy appears automatically, displaying different widgets, a full–screen clock, or your favorite photos, depending on the mode you’re using. The feature operates best if you have an upright MagSafe charger but it’ll work well if you simply prop up your iPhone. In either case, StandBy turns your iPhone into a useful dashboard and handy bedside clock. You don’t even need to worry about glare disturbing your sleep because, in low light, the information is displayed in a much more…

REQUIRES iOS 17 or later YOU WILL LEARN How to share files, media and your contact details with ease IT WILL TAKE 10 minutes INTRODUCED IN 2011, AirDrop has become one of Apple’s most useful features. And as of iOS 17, it has now become even easier by allowing transfers to take place simply by bringing two iPhones close together — while allowing some transfers to continue even if the handsets become far apart. As well as sharing photos and videos, you can now more easily share contact details using NameDrop, and media via SharePlay. It’s also possible to transfer large files with very little effort. In the case of NameDrop, you can share contact details between an iPhone and Apple Watch running watchOS 10. All in all, it makes…

> Virtual machines not as big as they seem Can I increase the size of the disk in the macOS Monterey virtual machine on my M2 MacBook Pro? As of macOS Sonoma, there’s no known way to change the size of the disk image in a virtual machine (VM) running macOS on Apple silicon Macs, although that’s a feature we hope for in the future. Fortunately, there’s a trick to VMs that makes it better to create them big in the first place, as they don’t take up disk space they aren’t using. This also applies to read–write disk images in general, and has worked since macOS Monterey. When you create and install your VM, give it as much space as you would wish for, say 100GB. Once personalized and…

IF YOU HADN’T noticed already, Christmas is almost upon us. If you’re in need of a last–minute gift idea for someone, you’re planning ahead for a special occasion, or you’re just thinking about getting something for yourself because… well, whoever needed an excuse to buy themselves some shiny new tech? Whatever your needs might be, over the next eight pages you’ll discover some amazing gadgets that would be a brilliant upgrade for anyone who owns a Mac, iPhone or iPad. Given that the needs of the gadget obsessed are many and varied, we’ve aimed to cover a broad range of products and price ranges to suit your budget — and thrown in some surprises too. We’ve also arranged items in useful categories, so you can head straight to the section…

THE APPLE TV app focuses heavily on Apple TV+, Apple’s streaming TV service, but you can also add channels from third–party services for access to a huge selection of entertainment. These include the MLS Season Pass, Paramount+, Lionsgate and specialist channels including History Play, Mubi and BFI Player. Unlike the Apple TV 4K box you can’t use it to add and stream rival services such as Netflix or Disney+, but supported third–party channels are well integrated and it’s easy to find what you want to watch. You can control the app with your keyboard and mouse or trackpad, with Siri, or with a paired Apple Remote. That last option’s particularly handy if you prefer to sit back from the screen or stream from your Mac to a bigger display that’s…

From $1,299 From www.apple.com Features M3 chip (model tested: M3 with 8–core CPU, 10–core GPU), 256GB or 512GB storage (1TB tested), 8GB unified memory (24GB tested), 23.5–inch 4.5K Retina display (4,480 x 2,520), 2x Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, Wi–Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3, Gigabit Ethernet (option) AT LAST! TWO and a half years after Apple unveiled its all–new iMac, it’s finally been given an upgrade, with the latest Apple silicon M3 chip replacing the M1 version of the original model. Anyone hoping for a bigger screen or even more powerful Apple silicon though will come away disappointed. The 2023 edition iMac is available in three versions. The $1,299 entry–level sports an 8–core CPU, 8–core GPU M3 chip with 8GB of unified memory, and a 256GB solid–state drive (SSD). The mid–tier ($1,499)…

APPLE HAS ANNOUNCED that it will support RCS messaging later in 2024. RCS (Rich Communication Services) is a protocol used on Android devices, and Google has been campaigning for Apple to support it to improve the cross–platform messaging experience for both iOS and Android users. When you message another iPhone user using iMessage on an iPhone, you get advanced features such as read receipts, group chat, emoji reactions, end–to–end encryption, and an indication when the other party is typing a response. At present, if the other party has an Android device, you get none of these, because messages are sent using the legacy SMS texting protocol, or MMS if they contain any kind of media — and even then the images or video are scaled–down. The SMS standard, introduced back…

To the editor. Now that we have gone full digital with Mac|Life, why not fully embrace the possibilities by installing a “search“ field (possibly powered by AI!) that will do a search of all issues that a subscriber owns/has been subscribed to. (This takes in the previous hard–copy issues that a subscriber may have purchased.) For those of us who still have older Macs and/or like to tinker with such, this would preclude the necessity for holding on to all of those old paper issues (which could be sustainably recycled!) and would still allow research for older subjects. Make it so! (Please!) JOHN ADNOT (SUBSCRIBER SINCE ISSUE ONE) John — this is a feature that has been asked for before, and is obviously very useful to those with an extensive…

DO YOU EVER wish your favorite website was available as a self–contained app instead, for super quick and easy access? On mobile devices, this is no problem at all. Just open a website, tap the Share button and select Add to Home Screen. The site appears as an app icon. It’s great if you want, for example, to add Wordle to your Home Screen so you can use it like an app when you wish to play. With macOS Sonoma, you can do something similar on the Mac. 1 Open website Launch Safari and open the website you wish to use as an app. Click on the Share button, and in the menu that opens, select the option "Add to Dock". A window appears, from which you can edit its…

EVERY MAC MODEL (except the mini and the Mac Pro) has a built–in webcam, and even screenless Macs benefit from a 12MP Ultra Wide camera if you pair them with an Apple Studio Display. In macOS Sonoma, Apple has paid attention to the camera with a range of new and improved features. 1 Studio Light f you have an Apple silicon Mac, you can use the Studio Light feature directly from your Mac’s webcam. This increases the lighting on your face, and dims the background. In a video chat app, click on the camera icon — the white video camera on a green background, found in the menu bar. In the menu, click on Studio Light to turn the effect on and off. Click on the right–facing chevron to the…

REQUIRES Arc, macOS 12.1 or later YOU WILL LEARN How to use all of the best features in the Arc web browser IT WILL TAKE 15 minutes MOST OF US probably stick to the tried–and–tested web browsers, be that Safari, Chrome or Firefox. But venture outside of the box and you can find some really interesting alternative apps that are pushing the boundaries of what you can expect to find when you surf the web. One such browser is Arc, an app that rips up the web browser rule book in a host of different ways, with its key aim being to save you time. It rethinks tabs, lets you save live widgets to your own mood boards, and even enables you to redesign existing web pages. There are built–in…

REQUIRES RootsMagic Essentials, macOS 10.12 or later YOU WILL LEARN How to create and add detail to your family tree IT WILL TAKE 30 minutes LOOKING FOR AN easy way to record your family history without paying up–front? RootsMagic Essentials is the free cut–down version of the powerful RootsMagic 9 and contains all the core features you need to build your tree and record a rich array of information about you and your ancestors. You can then upgrade to the full version for $39.95 should you want to unlock its advanced features. Browse to www.rootsmagic.com, select Roots Magic > Try It Free, fill in your details (this part is optional), and click Download to access a link to the DMG file. Once installed, open RootsMagic 9 from the Applications folder…

1 Cambridge Audio Alva ST > $599 > www.cambridgeaudio.com Ideal for vinyl lovers young and old, this turntable has everything you need to set those discs spinning — from rock–solid build quality to an easy–to–fit moving magnet cartridge. We love that it has both a built–in phono stage and Bluetooth too. 2 HomePod mini > $99 > www.apple.com Apple’s littlest HomePod works great on its own, but it’s even better when used as a stereo pair — delivering surprisingly decent sound quality despite its tiny size. Plus, it also includes a Thread border router and Siri, making it easy to control smart home accessories. 3 Twelve South AirFly Pro > $54.99 > www.twelvesouth.com This little gadget plugs into any 3.5mm headphone jack and enables you to listen to music, movies…

1 Netgear Orbi 960 Series > $1,499.99 > www.netgear.com If there are a lot of people using their devices at once, your home network could feel the strain — unless you upgrade it with this. Comprising a router and two satellites, this mesh system offers up to 9,000sq ft of Wi–Fi 6E speeds (10.8Gbps). 2 Linksys Velop Pro 6e > $399.99 > www.linksys.com This affordable mesh system comprises a Wi–Fi 6E router and two satellites, giving you up to 9,000sq ft of home network coverage. It can be up and running in as little as ten minutes, and it has a dedicated backhaul channel for rock–solid connectivity. 3 Eufy Indoor Cam S350 > $129.99 > https://us.eufy.com Keep an eye on your kids, pets and guests with this security cam. Its…

THE iOS AND iPadOS versions of the app work almost identically to the one on Mac. However, there are some differences, especially under the hood. In Settings > TV you’ll find a range of options that include a choice of high–quality or data–saving streaming modes — the latter’s good if you’re using mobile data — as well as options to set the default languages and download quality. On iPhone and iPad, streaming is usually better than downloading; movies can be over 2GB in size and TV episodes can be big too. The first episode of Invasion, for example, needs 1.18GB of storage space. Another limitation is, of course, display size; even the 12.9–inch iPad Pro’s screen will pale by comparison with an iMac, external monitor or TV. That’s where AirPlay…

$349.99 From https://epson.com Features Auto two–sided printing, wireless and voice–activated print, cartridge–free printhead, pigment black ink, built–in scanner and copier THE EPSON ECOTANK ET–2850 is a modestly priced ink tank printer offering a simple set of features and very low ink costs. It has a flatbed for scanning and making copies, and a duplexer for two–sided prints. The ET–2850 has a compact body; when set up to print, with its paper support and output tray extended, the unit measures 14.8 x 22.3 x 10.2 inches, and it weighs under 12 pounds. The scanner lid is lightweight because it does not include an automatic document feeder (ADF) for copying and scanning multi–page documents. The ET–2850 has one 100–sheet paper tray, which sits at the back of the unit. It can hold…

$79.99 From https://zagg.com Features QI charging, dual tips, tilt recognition, palm rejection For All iPads 2018 and newer USING A STYLUS with your iPad can be a revelatory experience even if you’re not an artist or designer; they are more precise and faster than using your finger for almost everything bar typing. Zagg’s Pro Stylus 2 auto–pairs with your iPad when switched on and can be paired over Bluetooth so you can see its battery level in iOS. Like Apple Pencil it charges while magnetized to a compatible iPad Pro 11 or 12.9 inch and can also be charged using its own magnetic USB charger, which is included, or any Qi wireless charger. Zagg quotes up to 6.5 hours of battery life depending on usage — we got closer to…

Fully assembled with knob $214 Barebones with knob $194 From www.keychron.com Features Swappable keycaps, up to 300 hrs battery, macro keys and aluminum knob, connects via Bluetooth 5.1 or USB–C (USB–A adapter included), polling rate 90Hz (wireless), 1,000Hz (wired) KEYCHRON HAS A strong history of making mechanical keyboards, for users who prefer a robust typing experience, want to extensively customize or achieve extremely low latency for pursuits like competitive gaming, or who simply prefer big, chunky keys for a more classic feel when typing. The Q3 Pro is hewn from metal and weighs a very solid 5.1lb. This is thanks in part to its multi–layered build, with several elements including sprung layers designed to enhance the feel when typing. The multicolored RGB backlighting has 22 modes which can be fine–tuned…